Fighting resumes
** The United States launched airstrikes early Wednesday against Iran, and Tehran fired back at countries in the region. The escalating attacks threatened to derail efforts to end the war, as U.S. President Donald Trump warned that Tehran would “pay the price” for stalled peace negotiations.
War planes
** In the latest strikes, U.S. fighter jets targeted “air defense, ground control stations, and surveillance radar sites,” the military’s Central Command said. Iran acknowledged strikes around Bandar Abbas and Qeshm Island but gave no details on the damage.
Too Long
** US President Donald Trump accused Iran on Wednesday of taking too long to negotiate a peace deal and warned it would now “have to pay the price”, a day after suggesting an agreement was in the offing.
Short of oil
** Residents in Russian-controlled Crimea were grappling with gasoline rationing on Wednesday after Ukrainian drone attacks constricted supplies from Russia, a Reuters witness said.
US Energy
** The Trump administration’s pledge to spend $700 million to bolster the coal industry could provide an economic boost to Pennsylvania, the country’s third-largest coal producer.
** Diesel prices are continuing on a mostly downward trend, with the benchmark price used for most fuel surcharges falling to one of its lowest levels since military action against Iran commenced at the beginning of March. It’s the fifth straight week the price has fallen. During that time, the declines total 43 cts/g.
** Texas’ grid operator reports more than 480 proposed data centers have requested to connect to the grid by 2032, representing more than 418 GW, which is nearly five times the grid’s all-time power demand record.
** General Motors, the largest U.S. automaker, is seeking to become more of an energy company, turning electric vehicles into grid assets and batteries into fuel for AI data centers.
